Saw chain opener having pivoted arms



June 6, 1961 P. BLAIS SAW CHAIN OPENER HAVING PIVOTED ARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 51, 1959 June 1961 P. BLAIS 2,986,870

SAW CHAIN OPENER HAVING PIVOTED ARMS Filed July 31, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 R u ZhuewZEr PAm/c/r BIA/6 June 6, 1961 P. BLAIS SAW CHAIN OPENER HAVING PIVOTED ARMS 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed July 31, 1959 United States Patent O 2,986,870 SAW CHAIN OPENER HAVING PIVOTED ARMS Patrick Blais, Tomifobia, County of Stanstead, Quebec, Canada, assignor of one-half to Theophile Lussier, Tomifobia, Quebec, Canada Filed July 31, 1959, Ser. No. 830,918 1 Claim. (Cl. 59-7) The present invention relates to a tool for opening the links of rivet-assembled chains such as saw chains and bicycle chains, for the purpose of repairing such chains when they break. The tool provides means for separating the links as well as for removing the rivets once the links are separated.

The tool is particularly adapted for use with saw chains in which the rivet has a central bearing portion of increased cross section so that it cannot be removed unless a side link is first removed. The invention provides means for separating the side links of such saw chains. Once a side link has been removed, it is possible to remove the rivet from the opposite side of the chain, and the combination tool, according to the invention, comprises specific means for the latter operation. These means are also adapted, by themselves, to remove rivets of other chains, such as bicycle chains, in which the rivet has the same cross-section throughout, and can therefore be removed without first separating the outer link of the chain.

An embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a side view of the tool with the handles and jaws in closed position;

FIGURE 2 is a corresponding fragmentary view with the jaws spread apart and with a chain link in position in the link-separating means of the tool;

FIGURE 3 is a longitudinal section on line 3-3 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 4 is a longitudinal section on line 4-4 of FIGURE {1;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the link-separating portions of the device in operation;

FIGURE 6 is a longitudinal section of the parts shown in FIGURE 5 FIGURE 7 is a fragmentary section of the rivet-removing parts of the tool in operation;

FIGURE 8 is a view, corresponding to FIGURE 7, showing the rivet-removing parts in operation on a bicycle chain; and

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary view of the rivet-removing parts by themselves.

Referring now FIGURE 1, the tool comprises a pair of elongated members, pivotally connected at 10, the elongated members defining on one side a pair of handles 11 and 12, and on the opposite side of the pivotal connection 10 a pair of jaws 13 and 14. The handles 11 and 12 are of much greater length than the jaws 13 and 14 to provide for proper leverage. The pivotal connection 10, as shown in FIGURE 3, is constituted by a rivet.

One jaw 13 comprises a threaded bore into which is screwed a threaded shaft 15 which projects on either side of the threaded bore in the jaw 13. On either ends of the shaft 15 are disposed wedges 16, two such wedges being provided in case one of them breaks, in which case the shaft 15 can be removed from the jaw 13 and re-inserted in the opposite direction. The arrangement also makes it possible to properly adjust the position of the operative wedge 16 with respect to the jaw 13.

The other jaw 14 comprises a slit 17 of such size as to enable it to receive and retain therein the cutter portion of a saw chain. A saw chain of the type to which the invention is applicable is illustrated in FIGURE 5, and comprises a cutter portion A which also serves as a central link and side links B. With reference to FIGURE 6, it

Patented June 6, 1961 will be seen that the rivets with which such saw chains are assembled comprise a central bearing portion C of greater diameter than the two end portions D. To disassemble such a chain it is therefore necessary first to remove one of the side links B. a

As shown in FIGURES 2, 5 and 6, the slit' 17 is first inserted over the cutter portion A of the chain and the wedge 16 then engages one of the side links B and separates it from the chain.

The tool further comprises means to remove the rivet once one of the links B has been separated. As shown in FIGURE 1, a pin 18 is mounted on the handle 12 by means of a plate 19 and a screw 20, see also FIGURE 3. This arrangement makes it possible to adjust the axial position of pin 18 with respect to the handle 12.

Facing the pin 18, on the handle 11, is a bore 21, also shown in FIGURE 9.

With reference to FIGURE 6, once a side link B has been removed, it is easy to slip the centre link A off the portion C of the rivet. With reference to FIGURE 7, the remaining link B may then be disposed over the bore 21 with the projecting portions C and D of the rivet inside the bore 21. The pin 18 engages the rivet and forces it off the link B and into the bore 21.

It can be seen from the foregoing that all the operations of the tool on the chain may be performed by properly positioning the tool, which is small and of light weight and this enables lumbermen to repair their saws on the job. Furthermore, the rivet is removed very cleanly and can be re-used. The fact that the rivet is forced into the bore 21 prevents it from flying off and getting lost. The rivet-replacing operation is afterwards performed by convention-al means and the tool may comprise an appropriate hammer portion, such as shown at 22, on the jaw 14.

To avoid the danger of pinching the operators hands, the tool is provided with stop means to limit the closing movement of the handles 11 and 12. This stop means, as shown in FIGURES l and 3, comprises a bolt 23 threadedly mounted in a bracket 24 of the handle 12, the end of the bolt 23 engaging the handle 11. The limit position of the handles 11 and 12 is simply adjustable by turning the bolt 23 and a counter nut 25 is further provided to lock the bolt 23 in position.

With reference to FIGURE 8, the tool is also suitable to disassemble simple chains, such as bicycle chains, in which the rivet E has the same cross-section throughout. In this case no use is made of the link-separating means 16 and 17 and the chain is merely placed between pin 18 and bore 21, the rivet B being forced out by the pin.

The embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated and described is given merely by way of example and various modifications are possible within the scope of the appended claim.

I claim:

A tool for dis-assembling saw chains and the like having substantially flat upstanding cutter portions riveted between substantially flat upstanding side links with each cutter portion having a part thereof projecting past the retaining side links, said tool comprising: a pair of elongated crossed members pivotally connected together at the crossing and defining handles on one side of the connection and an upper and a lower jaw on the opposite side thereof; said jaws having surfaces facing one another; a wedge member on the upper jaw facing the lower jaw and extending through the upper jaw; said wedge member having a front face and an upwardly and rearwardly inclined rear face joining said front face to define a sharp meeting edge which extends transversally across the upper jaw; a substantially rectangular cooperating slit, having a forwardly facing rear wall, extending transversally across the lower jaw and opening into said lower jaw surface; said sharp meeting edge being, in operative position, in substantial vertical alignment with said forwardly facing fe'zir'vvall of said'slit; said slit being adapted to receive the V 243,653 Straszer June 28, 1881 4 Mino et a1 Sept. 6, 1898 Morris 'Mar. 14, "1905 Thomas Jan. 21, 1913 Adamson Aug. 18, 1914 Eberle Oct. 22, 1929 Eilers July8,-1941 COX May-29, 1956 Schegulla- Mar. 11, 1958 Erdmann ..June 10,1958 

